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The college football season just ended, but it's never too early to look at what the landscape of 2019 might be. With that, the Free Press has put together its way too early top 25 college football poll. Receiving votes are Michigan State, Utah State and Northwestern. Tony Avelar, AP

Anthony Campanile hasn't been at Michigan football very long, and much of his time has been spent on the road recruiting.

But when he's in Ann Arbor, he spends "just about every waking minute" watching tape. And he has been impressed with what he has seen.

"I’ve said this to a couple people, they’ve just got a good look in their eye," Campanile said during an appearance on 'In the Trenches,' a podcast hosted by former U-M offensive lineman Jon Jansen. "They’re tough guys, you watch them on tape. There’s a lot of violence on the field and when they come off the field, they're high-character type of dudes. It doesn’t get better than that.”

In doing so, he left the East Coast – where the New Jersey native grew up and spent the entirety of his coaching career.

“It’s good because my kids have grass in their backyard now and in the East Coast that is cement backyard, so we’re fired up about that," Campanile joked. "It’s been great, honestly. It’s been awesome.”

Football runs in Campanile's blood. He's the son of Mike Campanile, who coached Paramus (N.J.) Catholic from 1990-1999. His brother, Nunzio, is an assistant coach at Rutgers after coaching at Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco Prep from 2000-09 and serving as the head coach at Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic from 2010-17, where he won a state title in his final year.

And when Nunzio left Bergen Catholic, his oldest brother, Vito, took over. A third brother, Nick, is the offensive coordinator at Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic.

So it's no coincidence that New Jersey is where Campanile got his start.

Head Football Coach Vito Campanile. Bergen Catholic High School celebrates their 2018 Crusader Gala at The Venetian in Garfield. 11/16/2018(Photo: Chris Marksbury/Special to NorthJersey.com)

After beginning as a student assistant at Rutgers in 2005 and coaching at Fair Lawn High School the next season, Campanile was at Don Bosco from 2007-11, where he coached linebackers and later was the offensive coordinator.

There, he learned under coach Greg Toal, who won 16 state titles in 33 seasons.

"Just the way that I coach, your relationship with players, how you develop an overall camaraderie and decor of the team. He was a phenomenal guy to work under when I was a young guy."

Campanile returned to Rutgers as an assistant from 2012-15, coaching tight ends and receivers. Then came a three-year stint at Boston College, where he joined the staff weeks after former defensive coordinator Don Brown left for the same position at Michigan.

“Coach Brown set the bar extremely extremely high there," Campanile said. "What he did in his time there is honestly nothing short of incredible. You look at statistically, in the 2015 season, his last season there, was just remarkable. They were a hard group to gain a yard against, it was hard to gain first downs.

"One of the great things was I got a chance to watch a ton of what he did over his three years there. Became very acclimated with what they did. That was part of why it’s been an easy transition here and our styles and the way we see football and the world is probably very, very similar."

Part of the appeal of leaving for U-M: the chance to work with Brown.

"What you’re always trying to do as younger coaches is develop," Campanile said, "and I think even in the short time I’ve been here I feel that way, I feel I’ve gotten a ton out of it.”